* Emmanuele Scicluna, (1820-86), Created (a) Marchese Scicluna on the 1 June 1875 by Pope Pius IX, (b) Marchese Scicluna 1878 (joint with nephew see below) on the 10 December 1878 by Pope Leo XIII, (c) Marchese Scicluna of the Holy Roman Empire 1879 on the 20 January 1879 by Pope Leo XIII, married to Margherita Darbois, (died 1894), and dsp.

Footnote#1: The titles of “Marchese Scicluna (1875)” and “Marchese Scicluna (1879)” are listed in Gauci (1992).

However, this description appears erroneous because the brother Gio Batta (‘Giambattista’) who was married to Carmela Bugeja, had already died in 1861

Footnote#2: There is no record nor any claim whatsoever of the 1875 title of Marchese Scicluna in the records of the 1878 Commission. This is because the date of creation of this title is not before the annexation of Malta to the British Dominions. It should be remembered that the purpose of that report (as the report reads) was to identify those titles which were granted or recognized by the sovereign authorities of Malta during the Government of the Knights of Saint John. Some may argue that this title is not one of those titles ?recognised by the British Monarch?. That argument is flawed because the purpose of the 1878 Commission was not to “recognize” but to “identify” those titles which had already been granted or recognized during the Government of the Order (1530-1798). This is better explained by the terms of reference to the Commissioners that “the Secretary of State for the colonies decided that the heads of the families who, before the annexation of Malta to the British Dominions, obtained tiles of nobility, should in accordance with a precedent during the administration of the late Governor, Sir Henry K. Storks, have precedence of the Chamber of Commerce, and in order to ascertain (etc)”.

In this case, the title of Marchese Scicluna is simply not one of those titles that was obtained during the Government of the Order and does not in any way diminish its validity. See: Correspondence and Report of the Commission appointed to enquire into the claims and grievances of the Maltese Nobility, May 1878, presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty (C.-2033.): see letter of Chief Secretary to Government to Commissioners dated March 8, 1877 (page 52) and http://www.saidvassallo.com/SME/referencegrants.html.

Footnote#3: In addition, had this family enjoyed a title during the Government in Malta of the Order, and even if no claim whatsoever was made during the 1878 Commission, they would still in the words of Governor Straubanzee be “At all events if there are more ‘Titolati’ they are at liberty at any time to prove their claims, and take the precedence to which they are entitled” . See: Correspondence and Report of the Commission appointed to enquire into the claims and grievances of the Maltese Nobility, May 1878, presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty (C.-2033.): see letter of Governor to Earl of Carnavon dated December, 29 1877 (page 3) and http://www.saidvassallo.com/SME/referencegrants.html

Footnote#4 As Emmanuele Scicluna died without issue, the title granted in 1875 became EXTINCT. In addition, the second title granted (jointly) to the Marchese also became extinct only insofar as his interest in the title.

Footnote#5 The Scicluna family was closely related to the Bugeja family who received their own Papal title, also a creation by Pope Leo XII. Vincenzo Bugeja was made Marquis in 1887 and his nephew Carlino in 1891. (See http://www.maltagenealogy.com/libro%20d'Oro/bugeja.html). There is no indication (so far) that the Marchesa Margherita (wife of Emmanuele) Scicluna nee Darbois was a relation of the Marchesa Anna (wife of Carlino) Bugeja, nee Darbois. On the other hand the mother of the Marchese Giuseppe Scicluna was the sister of the Marchese Vincenzo Bugeja.

This blazon is different to that described by Gauci (1981 and 1992) which says “Gu on a rock Proper a horse rampant Arg charged with five ermine spots and in chief between a descrescent and an increscent a Maltese cross all of the Second.” The original leopard probably explains the ermine on a horse.

* Joseph Scicluna, 3rd Marquis Scicluna, 4th Marquis Scicluna of the Holy Roman Empire, Duque de Scicluna, Baron of Tabria (renounced), died on the 6th of September 1995 in Rome. dunm.

Footnote#1:According to Gauci (1986 and 1992) the title of Baron of Tabria was in 1983 ‘brought out of abeyance’ in favour of Joseph Scicluna, who in turn passed the title by means of a deed made in the acts of Notary Jeanette Laferla Saliba of the 14 January 1985 on to a kinswoman Lilianina Bugeja nee Falzon Sant Manduca (‘by a transfer inter vivos, and ratification”) and that this transaction was ‘ratified’ by the Committee of Privileges 25th July 1985. According to Maltese media reports, Bugeja died, also without having made a nomination, and the title was ‘awarded’ to the Sciclunas’ sister Corinne Ramsay. Some court cases were instigated both by Bugeja’s son Philip as well as Ramsay and her daughter Christianne. http://www.saidvassallo.com/SME/maltesenobility/courtjudgements2009.htmhttp://www.saidvassallo.com/SME/maltesenobility/tabriacourtcase.htm During the court cases it resulted that Joseph Scicluna had also made a will in favour of Lilianina Bugeja. However, in each case the Maltese Courts declared themselves to have no jurisdiction to hear such matters because Malta had legislated in 1975 (Act XXIX of 1975) against recognition of nobiliary titles in any form whatsoever.